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BASIC PRINCIPLES
This article will discuss a very interesting subject: the operation and adjustment of
different types of carburetors used on motorcycles.
O
tto cycle engines used to
power both two and four
stroke motorcycles are
fed with fuel (normal gasoline,
special gasolines for some com-
petition needs or, in some un-
common cases, methyl and/or
ethyl alcohol), which is suffi-
ciently volatile and has ignition
properties which allow it to be
premixed with the combustion
air before the combustion is ini-
tiated by the spark plug. On the
other hand, in Diesel cycle engi-
nes, the fuel is less volatile and
has ignition properties which
require that it be mixed with air
only inside the combustion
chamber, where the pressure
and temperature conditions are
such to induce natural ignition.
For this reason, the power
delivery of diesel engines may
be adjusted by fuel delivery alo-
ne, without the need to control
the airflow.
In Otto cycle engines, when the
fuel is pre-mixed with the air, it
is necessary to control the air-
flow and therefore, indirectly,
the fuel flow. In automobile en-
gines, fuel injection systems are
used in most models, controlled
by a central unit that adjusts
the duration of time during
which the injectors remain open
to deliver fuel into the air
stream. As everyone knows, ana-
logous systems have been adop-
ted on some high range mo-
torcycle engines. In most cases,
however, carburetors are widely
used, where the fuel is introdu-
ced according to the vacuum ge-
nerated on various systems of
fuel jets. The carburetor is the-
refore designed to perform three
1
On the right, the main components of a
Dell'Orto motorcycle carburetor are shown:
1. starting lever; 2. air intake; 3. venturi; 4.
starter jet; 5. float chamber; 6. atomizer; 7. fuel
valve; 8. needle; 9. throttle valve; 10. float
chamber air intake; II. fuel connection; 12. Idle
mixture adjusting screw; 13. throttle valve adju-
sting screw; 14. float; 15. idle emulsion tube,
16.idle jet; 17. main jet.
A/F = Mair/Mfuel
Stoichiometric A/F
The stoichiometric A/F ratio de-
pends on the fuel type. For commer-
cial gasoline this varies from about
14.5 to 14.8, meaning that 14.5-
14.8 pounds of air are needed for
the complete combustion of 1
2
The fuel mixes with the air inducted by the engine by means of different circuits according to the throttle opening. Here above on
the left hand side, we can see the operation at idle, with the liquid that is metered by the jet (18) and arrives in the fuel trap (22)
before it emulsifies with the air arriving from the channel (16) and adjusted by the screw (17). This emulsion goes under the th-
rottle valve (12) and into the aspiration channel (13) from the ports (19 and 20). On the right hand side, the same carburetor at
wide open throttle with the fuel flow adjusted by the main jet (28) that it emulsifies with the air (24) in the atomizer (27) before
exiting from the nozzle (26).
A modern needle type carburetor (Dell'Orto VHSB) is equipped Section of the fuel feed circuit in a Dell'Orto VHSB carburetor: 1.
with different circuits with relevant calibration jets to assure pro- Fuel line from the tank; 2. Screen filter; 3 fuel valve seat; 4 valve
per fuel delivery under all conditions. As we can see from the sec- needle; 5 float arm pin; 6. float holder on the arm; 7. float; 8.
tion diagram, each fuel circuit leads to the constant level float float driver; 9. float chamber air intake.
chamber.
3
On the left hand side above, the section of an annular float can be
seen here above, used on some types of carburetors: 1. Float cham-
ber air intake; 2. Float; 3. Fuel connection; 4. Fuel inlet channel; 5.
Valve needle. In the center, a detail of a removable Dell'Orto val-
ve; we can see that the synthetic rubber needle tip is a sprung type.
Below a detail of a fuel valve, machined directly in the carburetor's
body; in this case the needle is sprung.
4
Checking the position of the float inside the
needs to be measured
5
float weight, in some cases it's possi- the carburetor's body, forms the Carburetors can have different types of
ble to change the angle of the lever fuel valve. The needle is equipped flange connections to the engine,
that operates the valve. with a synthetic rubber element on according to their use. On the left we can
In this way, the float closes the val- the tip. see a flat flange with a seal O-ring; on
ve in advance (for a lower level) or This material is perfectly compati-
the right we see a male sleeve required for
later (for a higher level) at equal ble with normal commercial gasoli-
weight. ne but in the case of special fuels mounting inside a flexible coupling.
We must note, however, that too such as those containing alcohol, it
low a level in the float chamber can is necessary to verify the compatibi-
result in an insufficient liquid head lity of the fuel and the seals in or-
on the jets and therefore lead to the der not to compromise the carbure- engine suffers from reduced fuel de-
risk of dangerous enleanment of the tor's functionality. livery due to the fact that the level
delivered mixture. Different versions of the needles are in the float chamber is decreased
This can occur when the fuel moves equipped with a sprung tip in the and therefore the carburation has
inside the float chamber due to the connection with the float, in order become too lean.
accelerations the vehicle undergoes. to reduce the needle's vibration in-
In these cases (which mainly hap- duced by the motion of the liquid
pen on off-road motorcycles or on in the float chamber and from the
the track, in the bends or under vio- motorcycle's movements.
lent braking), if the level is too low, The diameter of the needle valve is
one of the jets leading to the carbu- a calibration element since it deter-
retor's circuits may be temporarily mines the maximum fuel delivery
exposed to air instead of liquid. rate.
In some versions, special screen baf- If the diameter is too small to ac-
fles are applied near the jets. commodate the fuel quantity that
These are called bottom traps and the engine requires under certain
their purpose is to maintain the conditions (generally at full load)
maximum liquid quantity around the float chamber empties faster
the jets under all possible condi- than it can be replenished through
tions. A needle that closes on a seat, the needle valve! If this condition
which is inserted or screwed into should continue for some time, the